In the Netherlands, 39% of men experience mental health issues, a growing problem that is often intensified by the difficulty many men have in openly expressing their emotions. Echte Mannen Huilen Niet (Boys Don’t Cry) explores what happens when men allow themselves to be vulnerable.
The film follows professional footballers Gianni Zuiverloon, Edson Braafheid, Ron Vlaar, Calvin Jong a Pin, Thomas Marijnissen, Ryan Donk, and Mark Diemers during several days spent together at the KNVB training complex in Zeist. No phones and away from the public eye, they are confronted with physical and mental challenges.
In open and honest conversations, they speak about grief, divorce, loneliness, pressure to perform, panic attacks, and the fear of showing emotions in a world where shutting down and pushing forward is the norm. The brotherhood and support they ultimately find in one another reveal that they do not have to face these struggles alone.